Fabric display device



Nov. 1o, 1942.

A. J.STE|NTHAL FABRIC DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1941 2 Sheecs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 5767/1/ /A l.

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Nov. l0, 1942. A. J. sTElNTHAI.

FABRIC DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRIC DISPLAY DEVICE Augustus '1. steinthal, New York, N. Y. Application February 24, 1941, Serial No. $780,387

4 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in display devices and more particularly to a device for displaying a swatch of fabrics, the primary object of the invention being to provide means whereby the fabrics, and each of them, may be displayed quickly and readily although arranged in superposed relation to one another.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device so constructed that it may -be held in the hand and suspended therefrom or suspended from the wall of a structure, or placed on a table or case, with the swatch of fabrics, superposed one upon the other, either in displayed or undisplayed fashion.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a backing or support for the pieces of fabric which is capable of being folded in accordion fashion, or unfolded, to enable the fabrics, and each of them, to be displayed at the will of the salesman.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in View, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangementV of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a front elevation cf the display device With the accordion support or backing in outspread position displaying the various fabrics secured thereto;

Figure 2 is a perspective view, observed from the front, with the device suspended and the accordion-like support in collapsed condition;

Figure 3 is a similar View observed from the rear;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device with the sample fabrics thereon rolled or folded into compact form;

Figure 5 is an enlarged Vertical section as seen on the line 5-5 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, with certain parts somewhat exaggerated to illustrate certain details;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the device in outspread position, as seen in Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged Vertical section through the device in the position shown in Figure 2.

;ing folding and hard' use.

In describing the invention', I shall refer tothe drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which thev numerals I` and 2, respectively, designate front and rear binder strips, formed of somewhat rigid material, such as cardboard, covered with leather or imitation leather, wood, metal or any other desired material, in each of which is provided a pair of spaced apart openings 3, the openings of said strips I and 2 being in registering position. If desired, these openings may be reinforced for protection andornamental purposes by eyelets 4. Secured to the rear and front faces, respectively, of the front and rear binder strips I and 2 are the ends of a flexible backing sheet 5, which may be formed of leather, imitation leather, or any other desired flexible material capable of withstand. The securing of this sheet 5 to the strips I and 2 may be by means of an adhesive or any other desired means. The eyelets 4 passing through the strips I and 2 also extend through the backing sheet 5, aiding in securing the sheet to the strips.

Adhesively, or otherwise, secured to the front face of the backing sheet 5 in spaced relation to one another and extending the full width of said sheet are the strips 6. These strips may be of cardboard, or of any other desired material, to give a certain amount of rigidity and the backing sheet 5 in the spaces between the strips 6 is creased or scored, alternately from opposite faces thereof, so as to permit ready folding of said sheet in accordion fashion.

Adhesively, or otherwise, secured to alternate strips 6 is a sheet of fabric l, representing a sample of the fabric for sale. In the drawings,'I have illustrated six such sheets of fabric to be displayed, but, of course, it will be understood that the device may be constructed so as to permit as few or as many pieces or samples of material to be displayed as may be desired. A pair of openings 8 is formed in each foldable element of the backing sheet 5, supporting strips 6 and sheet of fabric l, said openings being so arranged as to be in alinement and registration with the openings 3 in the front and rear binder strips I and 2 when the device is folded into a position as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 7. An endless suspension draw cord or the like 9 is provided which is threaded through all cf the openings when the device is folded in the position such as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 7, and the cord is of such length as to permit the device to be suspended therefrom, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. When the device is suspended from the cord 9, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the fabrics will be closely superposed one upon the other, the marginal edges thereof registering, so that it is not possible to see the patterns or the character of fabrics of the various samples displayed, other than the top or front sample. When it is desired to display the fabrics, however, it is only necessary to grasp between the thumb and index nger the front binder strip and allow the back sheet, with its various supporting strips and fabrics thereon to be extended, this taking place through its own weight, whereupon the lower edge of each sheet of fabric will be suspended and displayed belowY will be greatly appreciated and it will be seen that I have provided a means for overcoming the many difficulties and inconveniences experienced in the displaying of materials with the present day devlces.

From the description hereabove, the operation of this device will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efncient means for carrying out the 1o objects of the invention. While I have disclosed and described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is apparent that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the lower edge of the preceding sample offabric, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings.

gether between a front and rear binder a series of fabrics, securing them tightly through the binders but in order to display such samples, each piece of fabric must be lifted above the other by hand and the particular patterns may not be readily observed at a single glance. However, with my improved display device, it is possible, as heretofore described, to readily display all of the patterns contained in all of the samples at hand, by merely permitting the back sheet to be extended. Moreover, when the sheet is extended in the fashion shown in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings, the cord E, extending from the front binder strip IV may be engaged, if desired, with any suspension device on the wall of a structure and all of the fabrics in their displayed or extended position may be readily observed. In this position, the weight of the materials on the back sheet 5 will retain the latter, particularly when resting against the wall of a structure, in the extended position. The device may be readily collapsed, however, by pulling down the front binder strip so that the device will then take the position as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 7 of the drawings.

The entire device, when not in use, may be rolled or folded around the front and rear binder strips, as shown in Figure 4, so that a plurality of such display devices may be used in any establishment and placed out of use o-n shelves, tables, cases or the like, without requiring an appreciable amount of space.

To those experienced in the trade, and particularly those experienced in displaying fabrics, either in the wholesale or retail business, the value of the device herein disclosed and described It has been customary heretofore to bind to- Y' anyof the principles of the invention.

'What I claim is:

l. Ina fabric display device, a series of strips arranged in spaced relation and hinged together to permit folding thereof in zigzag formation, a

sample fabric engaged with alternate strips and suspended therefrom, and a suspension draw cord threaded through said strips, fabrics and hinge means.

2. In a fabric display device, a pair of front and rear binder strips, a series of strips intermediate the front and rear binder strips arranged in spaced relation and hinged together to said binder strips to permit folding thereof in zigzag forma- 30 tion, a sample fabric engaged with alternate strips and suspended therefrom, and a suspension cord threaded through said binder strips, auxiliary strips, fabrics and hinge means.

3, In a fabric display device, a series of strips arranged in spaced relation and hinged together to permit folding thereof in zigzag formation, a sample fabric engaged with alternate strips and suspended therefrom, front and rear binder strips of greater width than the aforesaid strips secured respectively to the end strips of said series,

and a suspension cord threaded through the binder strips, first mentioned strips, fabrics and hinge means.

4. In a fabric display device, a supporting sheet f-oldable in accordion fashion, a series of supporting strips secured in spaced relation on the folds of said sheet, a sample fabric engaged with alternate strips on said sheet, binder strips secured to the end strips of the aforesaid series and of a height substantially twice the height of each of the aforesaid strips, and a suspension cord threaded through said strips, fabric and sheet.

AUGUSTUS J. STEINTHAL. 

